Apparatus for adjusting valve throw



Sept. 11, 1928. 1,684,015

B. DUDLEY, JR

APPARATUS FOR ADJUSTING VALVE THROW Original Filed July lO; 1924 2Sheets-Sheet l ANN INVENTOR 7.7 I ORNE5 um. u\\

B. DUDLEY, JR

APPARATUS FOR ADJUSTING VALVE THROW Sept. 11., 1928.

Original Filed July 10, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 lNvENToR Boyd .Dad/eg Jn'l TTQRNFYS j ing substantially the same capacity to-pass Patented Sept.11, 1928.

Sile;TESY

PATENT OFFC E.

BOYD' DUDLEY, J R., OF SYRACUSE', NEW' YORK, ASSIGNOR 'lOl AMERICANPIANO- COM- PANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATIONAOF NEW' JERSEY.

APPARATUS FOR ADJUSTING VALVE THROW.

Application iled` July 10, 1924, Serial- No 725,313.

This invention relates to apparatus for adjusting valve throw, and hasas one of its objects the provision of a machine by whichv the throw ofa valve may bequickly and accurately adjusted.

It is agfurther object of this invention to provide an automaticcontrol. for said chine.

Other-,objects and advantages of the iiivention will appearhereinafter.

A preferred, embodimentof the invention,

Figure 3k is a section ony the line 3--3 of4 Figure 2.

In the manufacture of valve actions and particularlyv in the manufactureof tho'seof the type used in automatic pneumatic musical instruments andother, pneumatic structures, it is desirable to produce similar valveshavair. In manyl cases this desideratum is sufficiently attained simplybyfattention to accu-y racy in lineal measurementas the partsvare made.In other eases where greater, accuracy. is desired, provision is madewhereby the valve or valve seats are made adjustable with respect toeach other, in order. that'properi adjustment may be made after thevalveaction is assembled.

Usually, however, such adj ustmenthas been effected with referencesimply'to the lineal throw of the valve, it. being assumed that?sin'ular valves having the same throw. would' havel substantially thesame eapacityfto pass air. It has been found, however, thatj due to,surface conditions inside of the valve action, this assumptionis oftenuntrue. For

Renewed `March 20, 1928;

impeded; bv bits ofk glue used in securing the' 55 parts of the actiontogether.

The present invention accordingly has'y as; an object to provide anapparatus by which vthe throw of a valve may be adjusted withreferencelto theveapacity'of the valve actionf 60 to pass air andirrespective of-its'lineal throw.`V

In the embodiment of the invention illus-- tratede in. the accompanyingdrawings and describedi herein, means-have been provided for adjustingthe valve sea-t with respect to 65 the valve, although, as will beapparent. the invention 'could be applied' with equa.l"faci `litv` todevices for effecting adjustment'by otherA` methods. Accordingly, asi* aconvenient means of effecting such adjustment there'has 70 been provideda press by whichthevalveseat I may be forced into place untili itsdesired pol sition of adjustment has been reached.r

Referring to the drawings, v standards l'y have been provided'l fixedyto the base2an`d 75 supporting the' upper board 3' ofi the press; On theunder side of? the upper bo'ard is secured a guide bloelrlt in-whi'ch is/slidably mounted the plunger 5 which serves topress the valve seat 74to radjusted posit-ion'. The S0 plunger is operatedby a lever 6whicliengages lthe rounded shoulders-7 of the plunger, and which isfulcrumed on the'boss 8 mounted' on the upperboai'd3.l AtA its otherendl theA lever ris connected'by; a link 9'to the 85 movable board 10ofthe power pneumatic 11. the board'12 of saidpneumatic beingffixed'fto-the base 2.

As will be apparent. collapsing movement ofthe pneumatic 11fw-ill serveto depress the 90 plunger 5 and expanding movementof the same will causethe plunger to be'raised from its depressed position. Enteringthepneumaticll, through the fixedboard 12, isal` passage 13 throughwhich air maybe with- 95 drawn-frointhe pneumaticv to collapsethe"` sameto thereby'actuate the 'plunger-Y The passage 13 leads to avalve-b'ox14.in which" is placed the check valve 15,' and leading therefrom on theother side offthe check' 10G valve is a passage 16'communicatingwith thepassage 17, said eomnuinication being* controlled by the diaphragm 18`mounted in the upper part of `the valve-box 14; Thepas:

sage 17 leads to the power pump18'7and com- 105 municationtherebetweeniscontrolled bv theUV diaphi'agrniamountecl :ttf-theentrance of the .7 toene pump# A'smfll beapparent;

`valve 32 also maintained under .lever is provided, therefore,pivotallyl mounted on the bloeit 20l through which the operator maykcause the operation of the two machines alternately. lnasmuch as the twomachinesV are duplicates, only one will bc described herein, althoughtheoperative connections with the second machine will be illustrated.

When the control lever 20 is moved to the left, a port 21 is uncovered,thus permitting an inrush of atmospheric air through the duct 22fto theprimary valve 28 which is maintained under exhaust through the duct 2leading to a pump 25 to be hereafter described. The inrush of air to thevalve 23 raises the valve and Iallows the passage o f atmospheric airthrough the duct 26 to the diaphragm chamber 27, thereby pressingoutwardly the diaphragm 28 and cutting olif communication between thepower pump 18 and the passage 29 corresponding` to the passage 17 butleading to the other machine.

At the same time that the control lever 2O uncovers the port 21, itcovers the port 30 connecting with a duct 8 1 leading to the primaryexhaust through the dnet24 by the pump 25. Since the passage ofatmospheric air to the port 30 and duct 31 is prevented by the controllever 20, valve 32 will remain seated and exhaust therefrom will becommunicated through the` duct 38 to the diaphragniich amber 3&1. todraw the valve 19 away from'the end of passage 17 to thereby permit thepassage of air there through.

At the same time that Athe control lever is moved to the left to uncoverthe port 21, and to cover the port 30, the opposite end of the controllever 2O will depress the pallet valve 35 momentarily against thetension of the spring 36 to admit a puff of atmospheric air.

through the port 37 to the duct 38 leading to the diaphragm chamber 39of the primary valve e0.v `This valve may conveniently be ofanywell-known lock valve construction in order that when it has been onceraised'V by the momentary inrush of air` through the port 37, it willvremain in that condition until leading to the secondary valve 13results.V This valve is maintained under exhaust through the duct 14eleading to the power' pump 18. When atmospheric air is admitted to theduct l2 the valve is raised and exhaust is communicated through thepassage con-V trolled by the valve to the diaphragm chamber lr6controlling the diaphragm 18 before described, thus drawing thediaphragm downward and permitting the free passage of airthroughpassages 16 and 17.

The movement of the control lever 2O to the left also permits amomentary puff of atmospheric air through the port to the duct 51connected by the connecting ducts 52, 52 and 52 to the diaphragmchambers controlling loclrv valves 5l, 55 and 'respectively, which aresimilar in construction and operation to the lock valve 40. rfhe exhaustchamber 57, common to all the valves, is maintained under exhaustthrough the duct 58 leading to the power pump 18.

Then atmospheric air is admitted to the duct 52 to raise the valve 55,as before described, the port 59 is opened toatmospheric air, thuspermitting an inrush of air through the duct GO to the secondary valve61, which valve is maintained under exhaust through the passage 62leading to the pump 25. Valve 61 controls a duct 68 leading to a. powerpneumatic Se adapted to clamp the valve unit in place under the plunger5. rlhe pneumatic 64. has a leaf 65 fixed to the base of the press and amovable leaf 66 to which is attached a spur 67 connected by the rod 68to a clamp member 69 fixed at70 to the base. A blockA 71, havingpassages 72 and 7 3 registering with the passages of the valve unit 7 Llbeing adjusted, is alsomounted on the'basc 2 and' has a round headedscrew 75 in the bottoni thereof in order thatr the block 71 may pivotthereon to form an air tight contact with the valve unit. Collapse ofthe'pneumatic (Sli, due to operation of the secondary'valve 61 beforedescribed, therefore, causes the valve unit to be clamped tightly to theblock 7l and to be held thereto so long as the valve 61' remains inraised position. lf desired, a guide block 71 may be fixed to the block71 to assist the operator invloc-ating the valve action correctly withrespect to the passages 72 and 73. Y

llhen the control leverv20 is moved-"to the left, and the valve 56 israisedv thereby', port 76 is uncovered and `an inrush of atmospheric airto the duct 77 results. This duct leads to the secondary valve 7 8 alsomaintained under exhaust through the duct 44 by the power pump 18.Secondary valve 7 8 controls the duct 79 leading to chamber'l() in thevalve box vil immediatelyV below the check valve 15. @peration of thesecondary valve 78, there l l I i fore, will cause a slowexhaust'through the y duct 79 from the chamber 80, and, therefore, fromthe pneumatic 11 through. theV passage leasen 1? When the. Passageslafinfl 1.7.-

@een and air is being withdiaiwn'by the. power punip through these.pass-ages, the effect of this slow' exhaust willbe negligible.l/Ylileii, however, the passage` of airy through these passages` isprevented by operation et the 85 Consists a. leaf 86'i lixedi withrespect tol the leaf and, a movable leaf 87 connected to the flapEvalvey 8 8, controlling a. port'89l opening into` the power pneumatic11, and forms a spill'valve b v,which atmospheric air may beaxdmittedto. thev pneumatic to permit rapidA expansion thereof under theinfiuence ofspringjSlO. Whenthe valve 83jisV operated7 a atmosphere airispermitted, to enter the duct 84 leadingltothe pneumatic 85 andthepneumatic expands, permttingthe spillvalve to close in order that thepneumatic 1.1l maybe collapsed;

To sum up, movement`r of. thecontrollever, rst opens communicationbetween the powerA pump andE the, passage 17, and`= closescommunication'between the power pump and the passage 29 leading to thesecondmiaehine. At the same time, throughl operation et the pallet valve35, a fastcollapse of, the pneumatic 11 is initiatechthrough the.opening o1vv communication between. passages 16- and 1'?.

A slow collapseA ofthe.A pneumatic 11 is alsol initiated through theduct Y79 and the. spill.y valvel 8.8 is permitted to close so that thevpneumatic- 11 maybeeollapsed.

Themanner in whiclrthesevarious operations after.beinginitiatedmay beVautomatr` cally controlledv and, stoplnedn at the properv time may nowbeconsidered.-

As has beenldescribedjbefore. two sepa-ratevv means are providedforexhausting the power., pneumatic11, oneotwhich maybe described` as thefast. or. high speedfexhaust, and the other. of which. maybedes'cribechas the slow or lowspeedexhaust. The. high speed exhaust isprovided. to( exhaust. the; pneumatic 11 rapidly to bring the.plungerlandthevalve seat pressed thereby ,to a rough position of. ad.-`iustment. from which theslow, speed exhaust may operate to hringthe`valve seat; into a more perfect. and moreaccurate adjustment.

Means are provided, therefore, to stop the. operation otthe high speedexhaust whenv a,

comp aratively .rough adj ustment'kr has. been effected, and, asillustrated, suchmeans maybe controlled by the position eitheplunger it"if self.

The. plunger is pigovided with a. lug91; extending` outwardly therefromin position for engagement with a spring pressed valve 92 controllingthe port 93. As the plunger isv lowered by the'collapse of the pneumatic11, the lug, 91 engages the valve 92 and opens the port 93` and the duct94 to atmospheric air. Duct 94 leads to valve 95, and operation of.vthis valve causes the duct 96 to be exhausted t0 release t-he loc-kvalvey 40 previously described, to .permit the same to drop back tonormalr position.' Duct 42 is closed thereby, valve 43 returns to normalposition allowing atmospheric air to enter the duct land diaphragmchamber 46, thus raising` the dia.- phragm 18 to close the connectionbetween passages 16 and 17. The high speed collapse of pneumatic 11 isstopped thereby, but the pneumatic continues to be collapsed slowly bylmeans of the low speed exhaust.

Means are alsoprovided. for stopping` the operation of the` low speedexhaust, for opening the spill valve S8 topermit the expansion of thepneumatic 11 toraise the plunger., and for permitting the release of the'cla-mp 69 to release the valve action, and such means are preferablyoperated simultaneously from a single control. s Such means are alsopreferably controlled, not by the position ofy the plunger asin the case.of the high speed; exH lia-ust, but by the rate of; 'flow ot airtlirough the port controlled bythe valve which rate is dependent uponthe positionv of. the valve seat being adjusted. Y

As before described, a passage 73v is provided in the block 71I whichcommunicates with the exhaust. chest 1020i the valve action beingadjustedand a. passage F2-is also pro-- vided therein communicating withthe valve chamber 104; o'f-the valve action. 73 communicates withconduit 105 leadingv to the chamber 10G ofthe metery box 10T. The meterbox also comprises an additional cbam- `ber 108. sepa-rated Ylromathechamber 106 bv a. plate 109 havingan orifice 1 10 ot iixed area therein.A conduit 111 leads fronithechamber 108 to the pump 25 before referredthe meter box 10i' and the valve action fora purpose hereafterdescribed. The coimecl tion between the passage 111 andthe pump 25 iscontrolled by a diaphragm 112 having` a diaphragm chamber connected bythe duct 113 vto the valve32. When the controllcver 2O is movedto theleft, as before described.y in controlling the power pump` the diaphragm 112 is drawn away from the end oi conduit 111 to permitcommunication between the pump and the meter box 107.- @n the otherhand, a similar passage 113 leading to a meter box on-the second machineis closed by the diaphragm 114connccted bv the duct-.115 to the. valvelpreviously de scribed. f

Passage This valve Separate pumps and 18 are provided for metering andpower respectively, simply tor convenience, as it is found that Vit isdesirable to maintain a reasonably high cegree o1 exhaust for meteringlWhile a much lower degree of exhaust can be used successfully for poiverpurposes. 1t has also been found that the high speed exhaust beforedescribed makes large drai'ts oii the capacity or' a pump which Wouldcause Wide variations in the degree of exhaust inantainedby the pump.Vfhile this is not Yfatal to success ir operation, it has been li'ouiiddesirable to p rovide a separate metering pump which Vmay .maintain asubstantially constant degree ol exhaust.

Leading'fi'om the chamber 106 is al duct 120 which is connected to theinterior of the pneumatic 121 forming the larger o'la pair of connectedpneumatics. the other of which is designated by 122. These pneumetiesare provided'with a common fixed lea'l 12.3 and the movable leaves 1211and 125 are connected by a bar 126 pivotally connected thereto. ii. duct127 leading from the chamber 108 is connected to the interior of thesmaller pneumatic 122.

The degree oi exhaust maintained in the chamber 106 and. communicated tothe. laroer pneumatic 121 through the duct 120 Will be determined by theamount et constriction imposed by the passage oit air through the portin the valvel action controlled by the valve. And thev degree oicons-.friction imposed Will in turn be determined `by the position ofthe valve seat being adjusted. The degree of exhaust in the chamber 108and communicated to the smallerpneumatic 122 through the duet 127 Willbe dependent not only upon the constriction imposed by the passage oiair through the valve action but also upon the constriction imposed bypassage of the air through the orifice 110. A higher degree oi. exhaustwill, therefore, be

maintained in the chamber 10S and the pneu-v matic 122 than in thechamber 106 and the opposed force of the exhaust maintained in 1 of thepneumatic 122.

VJhen this condition occurs, the 'extension the chamber 108 actino4 onthe smaller area '128 of Athe movable leaf 124 Will close the port 129of the duct 130 leading to the valve 131. is maintained under exhaustthrough the passage 132 leading to the povfer pump 18 and. ot theoutside valve type.

Vfhen the port 129 is closed, the Valve 131 is permitted to dropandexhaust therefrom is communicated through theV ductv183 to the releasedevices of thelock valves 54, and to permit all of these valves toreturn simultaneously to normal position. Secondary valves 78, 61 and 83Will also return to normal position, thereby stopping the low speedexhaust, releasing` the clamp and open` ing the spill valve 88 to permitthe pneumatic 11 to expand. As Will be apparent, the positionioi1 theport 129 may be adjusted with respect to the pneuiiiatics 121 and 122 sothat the port 129 may be closed in any desirer relative position of thetivo pneumatics. VThe proper position of the port 129 may beconveniently determined by experiment, the particular position. ofadjustment desired beinn' dependent. upon therate ot flow desiredthgough the valve actions being adjusted, the

`haust maintained in the chambers and 108, and When the degrees olliexhaust have reached the desired relationship at Which the lport 129 isclosed,'the exhaustindicated by the pressure gauges Will also' reach apredetermined relationship.

It may sometim es happen that the valve action being adjusted isprovided With an unusually baggy diaphragm in which case the diaphragmin ight bulge upwardly to constrict the passage through the valve insuch manner as to cause the port 129 to be closed prematurely before thehigh' speed exhaust has completed its opera-tion. In order to providefor such a contingency, and to insure that the operation of the devicebe not prematurely stopped, ay duct 140 is provided leadingtoa port141controlled by the valve 410. rlhis duct is also connected to the'duct130 leading to the valve 131. raised to permit the hi `gli speed exhaustto be operated, the port 141 is also exposed vto atmospheric airtofrais'e theKva-lve 131 'regardless oi the condition oit the port 129."lllfhen' the valve 4,0 is again seated, the port 129y may again controlthe position of the va ve 1?1 to thereby control the operation oi themachine.

As Will be observed, stopping of the low speed exhaustan d the releasingofthe clamp and the opening of the spill valve 88 are dependent on therate o'l'ilovvvof air through the valve action being adjusted and thelmachine automatically, therefore, ceases toV operate when the valve hasreached the desired pf'isin on ott acl'iiistrz/ien't..

Thus when the valve 40 is It is to be understood that the invention maybe variously modified and embodied within the scope oi thesubjoinedclaims.v

I claim as my invention:

l. In a machine for adjusting valve throw in pneumatic valve actions, incombination, a press, means to actuate said press, and means controlledby the rate of iiow of air through said valve action 'for controllingsaid actuating means. i

2. In a machine Jfor adjusting valve throw in pneumatic valve actions,in combination, a press, means to actuate said press, and means forstopping the action of said press actuating means' when the rate of flowthrough said valve action reaches a predetermined point.

3. In a machine for adjusting valve throw in pneumatic valve actions, incombination, a press, means for actuating said press including highspeed actuating means and low speed actuating means, means for causingboth said actuating means to operate simultaneously, and means forcausing said actuating means to cease operation successively.

4. In a machine for adjusting valve throw in pneumatic valve actions, incombination, a press, means for actuating said press including highspeed actuating means and low speed actuating means, means for causingboth said actuating means to operate simultaneously, means for causingsaid high speed actuating means to cease operation, and separate meansfor causing said low speed actuating means to cease operation.

5. In a machine for adjusting valve throw in pneumatic valve actions, incombination, a press, means for actuating said press including highspeed actuating means and low speed actuating means, means for causingboth said actuating means to operate simultaneously, means controlled bythe position of the press for causing said high speed actuating means tocease operation, and means controlled by the rate of low of air throughVsaid valve action for causing said low speed actuating means to ceaseoperation.

6. In a machine for adjusting valve throw in pneumatic valve actions, incombination, a press, means to clamp a valve action to said press, meansto operate said press toadjust the valve throw, and means to actuatesaid clamp means and said press operating means simultaneously.

7. In a machine for adjusting valve throw in pneumatic valve actions, incombination, a press, means to clamp a valve action to said press, meansto operate said press to adjust the valve throw, means to actuate saidclamp means and said press operating means simultaneously, and means tocause said means to be released simultaneously.

8. In a machine for adjustingfvalve throw in pneumatic valve actions, incombination, a press, pneumatic means to operate said press, means tostop the operation of said press operating means, and simultaneouslyoperable means to spill atmospheric air to said press operating means topermit said means to return to inoperative position.

' 9. In a machine for adjusting valve throw in pneumatic valve actions,in combinatioma press, pneumatic means to operate said press,

pneumatic meansV to clamp a valve action to said press, and separatemeans to simultaneously stop theoperation of said press operating means,release said clamping means and spill atmospheric air to saidpress-operating means to permit said means to return to inoperativeposition. f

l0. Control mechanism for valve throw adjusting machines, comprising, incombination, a pair of opposed connected pneumatics of different area, apair of chiots connecting said pneumatics with chambers in which aremaintained different degrees oi' exhaust, and means operated by saidpneumatics for stopping the operation of the machine when said degreesof exhaust assume a predetermined relation. Y i

l1. Control mechanism for valve throw adjusting machines, comprising, incombination, means providing a pair of chambers having an orifice offixed area therebetween,

`a pair of opposed connected pneumatics of different area each havingcommunication with one of said chambers, means to withdraw air through avalve action andl through said chambers and oriiice whereby differentdegrees of exhaust are established in said chambers, and a valvecontrolled by said pneumatics and adapted to be closed by -the collapseof one of said pneumatics.

l2. In a machine for adjusting valve throw in pneumatic valve actions, apress, means to operate said press, and means to control said pressoperatingmeans, including a pair of opposed connected pneumatics ofdifferent area in which are maintained diiiierent degrees of exhaust.

13. In a machine for adjusting valve throw Y in pneumatic valve actions,in combination, means for effecting relative longitudinal movementbetween a valve and valve seat, whereby the capacity of the valve actionto pass air is varied, and means controlled by the rate of iiow of airthrough said valve action for controlling said first named means.

14;. Ina machine for adjusting valve throw in pneumatic valve actions,in combination,

means for effecting relative longitudinal movement between a valve andvalve seat, whereby the capacity of the valve action to pass air isvaried, means for actuating said means including high speedy actuatingmeans and low speed actuating means, means opere ated by said iirstnamed means for causing said high speedactuating means to ceaseoperation. and means controlled by the rate of flow of air through saidvalve action for causing said low speed actuating; means to ceaseoperation. l5. In a machine for adjusting' valve throw in pneumaticvalve actions, in combination, means for7 effecting` relativelongitudinal movement between a valve and valve seat; means forcontrollingr said first named means including' means to initiate saidadjusting movement; and means controlled by the capacity of thevalveaction to pass ail` to terminate said adjusting movement.

16. In a machine for adjusting Valve throw in pneumatic valve actions`in combination, means foi' effecting' relative longitudinal lmovementbetween a valve and valve seat,

including high speedoperating means and low speed operating means; meansto initiate said adjusting movement by causing operation of said highand low speed operating means simultaneously; means controlled by saidadjusting means in its adjust-ing movement to stop said high speedoperating means, and means controlled by the capacity of the ,valveaction to pass air to stop said low speed adjusting means. f

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification thiseighth day of July, 1924.

BOYD DUDLEY, JR.

